Govt misguiding people of Punjab on GNDTP Bathinda issue-PSEB Engineers’ Association
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in/ Chandigarh
PSEB Engineers’ Association criticised the decision to allocate land of GNDTP Bathinda to PUDA. This move has eroded the state’s property worth hundreds of crores. GNDTP Bathinda units were renovated from 2004 to 2014 as per the guidelines of CEA by spending Rs. 700 Crores. Minimum expected life of GNDTP units 1, 2, 3 & 4 after R&M was up to the year 2021-22, 2022-23, 2028-29 and 2030-31 respectively. Even the suggestions of engineers regarding use of Paddy Straw and to install Solar Panels to generate power were ignored by the policy makers. Association in the past has been continuously forewarning the consequences of lopsided generation policies and total reliance on the private sector but unfortunately policy makers did not pay any heed and as a result, consumers of the state are bearing the high cost of power on account of payment of high fixed charges to IPPs.
Association is of the firm view that buildings constructed for the power sector should have been used only for power sector activities and for further expansion of power sector to provide better service to the consumers of the State, and not for any other activities.
Er. Jasvir Singh Dhiman, President of the Association demanded that if the Punjab Government is determined to sell these valuable assets then sufficient time should be given to the power corporation for disposal of valuable machinery installed in the plant. If its equipment is sold separately as spares to other running plants, then it is a possibility that PSPCL may fetch much more value than the anticipated scrap value. Association demanded that a special disposal organisation should be established that will help PSPCL in fetching good values for its decommissioned units.
Association further demanded that Engineers from PSPCL should be made part of committees along with PUDA officials, for assessing the value and for redevelopment of land. Any revenue generated from the sale of these assets should be reinvested to strengthen the state sector generation.
June,23,2020
